This invention pertains generally to gear for a firefighter requiring a harness or for another wearer requiring a harness. This invention pertains specifically to a combination comprising a harness, which has shoulder straps that pass over the wearer""s shoulders when the harness is worn, and suspenders, which are attached to the shoulder straps.
National Fire Protection Association 1983 Standard 4-3.1.3 provides as follows:
4-3.1.3 Harness that fastens around waist, around thighs, or under buttocks, and over shoulders, and designed for rescue with a design load of 267 daN (600 lbf) shall be designated as Class III life safety harness. Class III life safety harness shall be permitted to consist of one or more parts.
National Fire Protection Association 1983 Standard 4-3.1.3 is understood to cover a harness that fastens across a front portion of a wearer""s waist, around the wearer""s thighs or under the wearer""s buttocks, and over the wearer""s shoulders, if the harness is designed for rescue with the indicated load.
Commonly, a firefighter requiring a harness having shoulder straps that pass over the firefighter""s shoulders, such as a harness complying with National Fire Protection Association 1983 Standard 4-3.1.3, also requires suspenders to hold up bunker pants.
With gear known heretofore, a firefighter wearer may be thus required to don, wear, and doff not only a harness having shoulder straps that pass over the firefighter""s shoulders but also suspenders having having shoulder straps that pass over the firefighter""s shoulders. Plural straps passing over each shoulder are cumbersome, uncomfortable, and difficult to don, wear, and doff.
This invention provides a novel combination comprising a harness, which has shoulder straps that pass over the wearer""s shoulders when the harness is worn, and suspenders, which are attached to the shoulder straps. The harness may fasten also around the wearer""s thighs or under the wearer""s buttocks. Preferably, the harness complies with National Fire Protection Association 1983 Standard 4-3.1.3, as discussed above.
The novel combination provided by this invention may be advantageously worn not only by a firefighter but also by a forestry worker, a construction worker, a stage rigger, or any other worker requiring such a harness and requiring suspenders.
Hereinbefore and hereinafter, directional terms, such as front, back, and side, are taken from a standpoint of a wearer.